


More Than Enough

by KatcadeCascade (DreamWings231)



Category: gen:LOCK (Web Series)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Holding Hands, M/M, Pre-Relationship, character study maybe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 17:56:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17667350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamWings231/pseuds/KatcadeCascade
Summary: Game night doesn’t happen as often throughout the next four years with the Union pushing the border territories and more close calls with Leon’s unit.And then Julian Chase comes back. Alive-ish he said.They’re still best friends and Miguel doesn’t want to lose him again. Maybe this is why Miranda’s encouraging him.





	More Than Enough

**Author's Note:**

> All it took was one tumblr post saying how RT wouldn't do Chase/Migas but what if and now here is this fic. Also I know very little of on how Siege works.

Game night was always on Saturdays.

Miguel would round up all the players in his room and they would all destress it out by yelling at each other for friendly fires. It was relaxing, normal even as they just kick back in between tense battles.

And then the Union attacks New York and Chase saves the day.

No one wants to play video games anymore. It just felt too strange or miserable with one less friend.

But life goes on and Miguel notices small things as they start up game nights again.

Miranda joins but only when she’s frustrated. She’s careful and ruthless as she guides her avatar around the map and shoots down the enemy team from behind. The only cursing from her is when someone gets shot down in front of her.

Jodie tries his best to always be around Miranda or goes solo. Both ways gets him killed a bunch and like always he makes a theatric spiel of having his team go on without him. When he doesn’t get picked up in time, he gets prissy and pokes at the player next to him in revenge. That person is usually Leon.

Leon’s a good soldier but he gets creepy good when he gets on a lucky streak and starts talking in a lower voice and in fewer words. Everyone secretly names him Locus when this happens. It becomes a reoccurring thing to yell the name Locus whenever a sniper kills them, regardless if it was Leon’s doing or not.  

As for Miguel, well he just tries his best. He usually lets someone else take charge but says his own commands too when the moment arises. Gun’s a blazing ain’t the Siege way no matter what Jodie says and Miguel is usually the one to help fallen players or shield up.

Game night doesn’t happen as often throughout the next four years with the Union pushing the border territories and more close calls with Leon’s unit.

And then Julian Chase comes back. Alive-ish he said.

This is his best friend, still alive and, well, not kicking per say but he still has a heartbeat, a brain, and a smile. It’s really him, Chase is alive.

While the others say it’ll take time to readjust to seeing a living ghost, Miguel doesn’t waste a second to get Chase back in his life. They get to play Siege and talk about the Holon bodies, but they don’t catch up.

Miguel can only give vague answers for so long before he says that it’s best that Chase directly talks to Miranda about their relationship. It’s none of his business really but the whole Anvil can see the winds of change aren’t going backwards. He’s there for Chase the moment he asks Miguel to be by his side.

 _Let the Good Times Roll_ is playing by the time Miguel’s in the lab.

Indeed good and bad times roll on as the days pass. More battles happen, super cool robot ones to be exact, and there’s also fights between Chase’s new team as well. They’re still learning from each other, trying to trust someone else with their life but things even out.

As for Miguel’s side of things, the only fights that happen are when Jodie needs to shut up but that’s not too strange. Strange and awkwardness happens with Miranda asks to play Siege with Miguel.

She’s already setting up the console while Miguel’s still at the door.

“Are you going to stand there all day?” She holds up his controller to get him to hurry up and just accept yeah, this is happening.

This isn’t as uncomfortable as Miguel initially made it out to be, it’s just the fact that it’s only the two of them and he invited Chase to come play a good hour later. While the break up wasn’t too messing it was still fresh and Miguel ain’t the one to settle short fuses.

The game starts and both Miranda and Miguel groan when they see who’s on the enemy team. It’s not that they hate Narvaez Jr and Diaz it’s just that they’re both too good at Siege.

They play in mostly silence with the occasional note of where the enemy is as they focus on the game.

When Miguel gets taken down Miranda is instantly there to pick him up, “Come on, you’re usually better than this.”

“We are up against the two best Siege players on base, neigh the world.”

“We beat them that one time,” she said casually as if they didn’t cry tears of joy on that particular victory.

“And if that ever happens again I will kiss Jodie’s boot.”

“Please you rather kiss Chase.” Miguel gets shot down and dies and Miranda glares at him, “Really, I just saved your ass!”

Miguel instead looks to her in shock with the controller frozen in hand, “What?”

She keeps playing but she keeps looking over to him, “I’m prepping you for your date.”

Dignified and a little scared, he hastily tries to correct her, “No not a date, it just us playing Siege like always. Why would I date Chase, I mean like we’re friends and that’s it.”

“I know,” she said and that’s it. She doesn’t add on and waits for the game to end while Miguel’s nerves are on fire. “That’s kind of why I think you should just ask him out already.”

“Miranda, what’s going on?” Miguel quickly left the game to the main menu and faced her, “I know you and Chase patched things together about not being together so why?”

He has known Miranda since the first day of arriving to the Anvil. She was always battle ready but also thinking about shore leave, her family and her future and by that extension, Julian Chase.

“We both knew from the start he was willing to die for all of us and he did.” No argument there, it was something they both thought of at the memorial service. “I was always scared of that, that I had to live without him and I did. I had to try and live for him and move on and I’ve changed.” Miranda placed a hand on his shoulder, “You haven’t changed and I think that’s what he needs, Miguel.”

“I’m just his best friend,” he said because that’s what the ache in his chest should mean. Learning that Chase died hurt like hell and made breathing hard but seeing Chase again felt like everything feels lighter.

That’s all reasonable because that’s their friendship, being there for each other. Miguel can’t compare his grief with Miranda's but he’s aware that they had different reactions to seeing Chase alive.

“That is more than enough for him, trust me.”

This is where Miguel wants to argue with her, that no, he can’t be enough for him. He’s just his best friend and it’s always scary to push for something more. But Miranda wouldn’t look at him with so much certainty and gratefulness if she had second thoughts.

“I do trust you,” he said, “but I’m sure that he still wants you as a support system just as much.”

“True,” she nods and returns her attention back to the game, logging out of her account, “but I think you and him should settle things first.”

As she gets up and goes, Miguel unsurely asks, “Wait like right now? When he comes over?”

“You only live but once,” she shrugs and leaves with a reassuring thumbs up.

Miguel has spent proximately five minutes of freaking out and thinking about the possibility of asking Chase out. Most of it was spent doubting if Chase would actually say yes. But oh god, what if he says yes?

No time to think of that as Chase’s hologram materializes in the room with a classic line, “Boo.”

He’s only human so don’t blame him for screaming in a high pitch and holding his controller like a ninja star, ready to throw it at his crush-best friend.

“Would you not!” Miguel clutches at his heart, hoping that for once it would beat normally whenever he thinks about Chase a little too much.

“I’m a one trick pony, Migas,” Chase justified with a teasing smile and this is something they both missed, just talking to each other.

“Oh we’ll truly see about that,” Miguel grins back. It’s almost effortless on how they found their rhythm again. Seeing Chase in the tank was reality settling in, he’s on life support and seeing him smile and joking with him filled up his heart with joy and relief.

They’re still best friends and Miguel doesn’t want to lose him again. Maybe this is why Miranda’s encouraging him.

Through the power of technology, Chase can cyber link to his old player account since no one bother to clear it out unlike his old bunk. He gifts himself a hologram of a controller to better fit the immersion.

Everything is like the old days even when they high five there’s no physical impact. That doesn’t faze him, it shouldn’t really by how usual hologram calls to home work. This is permanent for Chase though and when their hands go through each other, Chase’s smile becomes pained.

“You alright, Chase?” Miguel tries not to make a habit of saying it, only when it really matters. Dr. Weller’s usually the one to help Chase with physical or teamwork dilemmas. Everything else Miguel is ready to help him out.

“I am. I’m fine and all but,” Chase trails off and he fumbles with his controller. In his hesitance he let it disappear and his avatar kept walking into the wall. “I knew being here would be tough, especially when I can’t even hug you guys.”

“But you’re here, that’s what matters.”

“I know Migas, I know but I just wish I could.”

By the time they finish the match, Miguel gathered enough courage to suggest, “It couldn’t be too hard to just go open your tank and hold your hand.”

Nervousness jumps around his stomach while Chase thinks this over. “In the early days, Dr. Weller did have to make a bunch of readjustments to my tubes. All he had to do was open the top hatch and I climb up for him.”

“You make it sound like you’re a mermaid,” Miguel said.

“No I don’t,” he said and pointedly looked away. It was at this point Miguel theorized Chase could possibly edit out any sort of blushing out of his hologram.  

“Let’s do it.”

“What?” Chase stared at him, wide eyed like how Miguel reacted to his being alive reveal.

“I want to hold your hand,” Miguel said, hoping that the shakiness wasn’t too notable.

Again Chase said, “What?”

This is an opportunity and Miguel must seize it as he brushes his shoulders with Chase, “Are you flustered?”

“No! No way,” Chase says and yep, there’s the blush on his face if Miguel is not mistaken. “I’ll um get Doc to know, like so it’s safe?”

“Cool,” Miguel said and all of his nervous bubbling is gone in that one moment as he smiles, “I’ll see you real soon.”

Chase gives him the softest and happiest smile he has ever seen before the hologram dematerializes.

With a deep breath and the nervousness coming back tenfold, Miguel holds his heated cheeks and tries not to scream too loud. Okay, they’re doing this. He hopes he doesn’t look too frantic as he practically runs to the lab.

He’s at the entrance doors of the ESU where not too suspiciously are the rest of the gen:LOCK team.

“Um, hi,” Miguel waves, “I’m just, ya know, seeing Chase.”

“Are you seeing Chase or are you,” Cammie wiggles her eyebrows, “ _seeing_ Chase?”

Miguel doesn’t know how to answer that. Yaz thankfully changes the topic by standing imposingly in front of him, “If you do something stupid, I will deal with you.”

That’s a promise that frightens him. Naturally he says, “You’re a good friend.”

“I’ve been working on that, yes.”

Iida rolls his eyes, “He’s fine. Let’s move on already, Chase is getting antsy.”

The team all start walking away and Valentia pats Miguel’s shoulder. They give him a knowing look, “You’ll both be fine.”

“Thanks,” Miguel said. He’s very happy that this is Chase’s team and doesn’t waste another moment and walks through the doors.

Chase doesn’t greet him immediately. He’s too busy groaning and hiding his face in his hand. Dr. Weller on the other hand shouts very enthusiastically, “Ah Mr. Garza, so nice of you to join us!”

The doctor is on one of those small portable platforms with a ladder attached that’s pushed over to have the top of the tank be at its level. Currently the top hatch is open and he’s gloved up to secure the wiring on Chase’s life support.

“Doc, if you’re done you can leave,” Chase said as politely as possible through strained teeth. When Miguel reached the tank, all it took was one look to the computer screens to read that his heartbeat is picking up.

“How rude,” Dr. Weller proclaims. “After all I’ve done for you this is how you’re treating me?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Chase rubbed his eyes and sends a huff on Miguel’s way. “You see what I’ve been dealing with for the past four years?”

“He’s not so bad,” Miguel shrugs.

Dr. Weller laughs jovially and finishes up with the preparations. He shucks off the gloves and looks the engineer up and down. With a smile and a wink, the good doctor leaves the two of them alone, taking Cal too.

Miguel waves at the departing robot before he climbs up to the platform. He sits down by the tank’s open lid and watches Chase carefully rise up. All the tubes are still in place and the mask around his nose and mouth aren’t jostled as only his head and shoulders breech the surface.

“So,” Chase drags on, his fingers tapping on the rim of the tank, “you’re really here.”

“I think that’s my line,” he said and simply sets his hand palm up next to Chase.

It's nerve wracking how slow it takes Chase to move his hand and close it over Miguel’s. He forgot that his hand is still very damp and whispers a small sorry, ready to pull his hand back but Miguel hangs on.

“It’s okay,” he quietly says back, staring at their held hands and then to Chase.

For all this time seeing Chase’s body free floating or unconscious, Miguel never thought of him as vulnerable. In this moment Chase is staring up at him with wide eyes and there’s wonder and relief in his growing smile.

“Yeah,” Chase squeezes their hands, “I, I think I’m doing alright now.”

**Author's Note:**

> I somehow came out of this with some Shape of Water vibes. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
